The present invention relates to a rotary device for a horizontal injection machine for turning mold halves or molded articles between the mold mounting plates about a vertical axis. The invention also relates to an injection mold machine equipped with such a rotary device.
A rotary device of this type is described, for example, in International patent application no. WO 01/10624 A1 and includes a base plate and a turntable rotatably mounted on the base plate. The base plate with the attached turntable are mounted on a machine bed of a horizontal injection molding machine and can travel in axial direction between a moveable mold mounting plate and a fixed mold mounting plate. The turntable carries in operation a third mold plate, a so-called swivel plate with mold halves, for interaction with respective mold halves of the moving and fixed mold mounting plates. As the rotary device is mounted in the machine bed of the horizontal injection molding machine, a retrofitting of a standard injection molding machine requires a modification of the other components. This is very complicated and cost-intensive.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved rotary device for a horizontal injection molding machine to obviate prior art shortcomings and to allow installation in existing machines in an easy and yet reliable manner.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a rotary device for a horizontal injection molding machine, includes a base plate, a turntable rotatably mounted on the base plate, and a module frame in which the base plate with the turntable are mounted for displacement.
The present invention resolves prior art problems by the provision of a module frame, which can be mounted as a unit onto the machine bed, whereby the moving and the fixed mold mounting plates are secured to the module frame. The module frame includes hereby a mounting structure for attachment of a fixed mold mounting plate and guides for a moveable mold mounting plate.
According to another feature of the present invention, the module frame may have integrated therein a drive mechanism for displacement of the base plate with the attached turntable. The drive mechanism may be configured with hydraulic cylinders, spindles or the like. As an alternative, the drive mechanism may be realized by a rack and pinion structure comprised of a fixed rack securely mounted to the module frame, a moving rack securely mounted to the moveable mold mounting plate, and a pinion connected to the base plate and meshing with the fixed and moving racks. A rack and pinion mechanism of this type is described, for example, in International patent application no. WO 01/10624 A1 and operates in a manner that the moveable mold mounting plate moves the base plate about a distance which corresponds to half the movement path of the moveable mold mounting plate. The rack and pinion mechanism is integrated in the module frame, with the module frame having guides for the moving rack.
The base plate may be configured as massive plate or may be formed with pockets or designed as frame construction (weldment).
Suitably, the module frame includes a fastening assembly for securement to the machine bed of an injection molding machine.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a horizontal injection molding machine includes a machine bed, a first mold mounting plate carrying a mold half, a second mold mounting plate adapted for traveling relative to the first mold mounting plate and carrying another mold half, and a rotary device including a modular frame adapted for placement on the machine bed and having a mounting structure for supporting the first mold mounting plate and a guide for supporting the second mold mounting plate, a base plate supported on the modular frame, and a turntable carrying a swivel plate between the first and second mold mounting plates and supported on the base plate for rotation about a vertical axis so as to turn the swivel plate.